Study: There Is No Evidence That Immigration Increases Crime

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 18: A marcher carries a sign during the Immigrants Make America Great March to protest actions being taken by the Trump administration on February 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Protesters are calling for an end to stepped up ICE raids and deportations, and that health care be provided for documented and undocumented people. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) – A William & Mary professor says there’s no compelling evidence to show that immigration leads to more crime.

Sociology department chair Graham Ousey says in a university press release that some studies show immigrants are less likely to be criminals.

Ousey is the co-author of a recent analysis of 50 studies on the subject. He co-authored the paper with Charis Kubrin of the University of California-Irvine.

“Immigration and Crime: Assessing a Contentious Issue” will be published in the inaugural issue of the Annual Review of Criminology early next year.

Ousey says there are many reasons to explain why immigration doesn’t produce more crime. Immigrants tend to be goal-directed. And those who are prone to crime often lack the persistence to complete the process of immigrating legally or illegally.